Vapor-electric device



April 20, 1948. w. PAKALA 2,439,946

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE Filed March 8, 1947 WITNESSES: I INVENTQR @151, 7% M W/Mam 5 Fake/4.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1948 Pa., assignor Westinghouse Electric; collimation, EastzBittss burgh',l, l?a., a comorationsofPBennsylvaniar nppiieation iuamn s, 1947; Serial-No? 7333394 11 claims.

My invention; relates-to,vaporeelectrie devices; and, particularly. tommeansr; foramaintaining; aw high state ofievacuationrin sea1ediofi;dev-1ces.-:. c In the operation 50f; vaporseleotric:devicesait; is"- frequently desirable.- -t0. operate vapopelectric valves-without 'thev -necessitwofimaintaininggcone stant evacuation devices;: for.: maintainingeam opt-- erative-pressureinthesvalues: a Also itiis frequentlya foundrdesirahleeto providez anode shields or anode amiss axtending outside. the main portion of thepontainer-so-thatlaaminimum of shielding-is required"about the-armdes. However, in i the operation/off vapor-electricgde vices; I there r-has beenfounda strong tendeney forthe-vapor stream'arising irom thelcathoderto-impel non-condensingt ases inter-the :anodeehields so a a s ywhiah eas-i e s rez erecumulate. in the vicinityrof i the anodeeeande thus result in arc backs era-other, faulty operation 4 Also in the, operation-pi: sealed ofi vaporeelectric-devices? gas pressure is i-p eithenbe cause of; infinitesimal ileakagesthrough the-walls; of the containersor by liberation ot occluded. gases in the variousportions. ofitheflconverter itself. t Heretofore, it has rbeen found necessarwto dire-- quently return the sealed-Loft.valvesito aprocess ing center where r theyare degassed and prepared for further-operation. I; i In a construction accordingto rnydnvention; have arranged-means for relieving. -gas; pressurein the anode shieldaadjacenttotheanode struce tures. and have i also provided me for coinpressing. any, residual"! gas. or, gases" otherwise: found in=the containenintoia rela e as l compartmentso. that the va l ve manage dover; long periods 0? time.v without necessity, 0'13} reipumping-01. re-fittingionoperation; To. relieve the pressure in the anq have providedagasapassagec-froin a po nt ad 1' cent the top .05 thecshieldjlta al-pointtinithe cone tainer remotefrom thevcathode blastg it I also. preferlto providela' nozzle mediate the endsaoirthevcontaine v so t vapor blast. carries.. the, noneconde iblei ages into a portion of the container re not operatingv V electrodes. At least .-.t11at- I or the. container remote. fromlthe electrpde i vided .with a, cooledfsurface i'or, conde cathode vapor, and suitable lhea-Irg on which they condensed i cathode vano isewh turning to the cathode=liinpel M rges vicinity intothe. closed recepta'clewhe .they, e: efiectively sealed 'ofi and preventedgfronr. del'eteri; ously, afiecting- ,the operaticn'rofithel device,

Ill

scripti'on; takenzin conjunction with the accompanying drawingfinwhich:

Ei'gure .12. is: a;:. sectional; elevation: of a; vaporelectric device: embodyingimyi invention;

24.:is a fractional sectionalfelevation show ingizthesdetail'ssiofr the zgas tunnelling-devices; and

Fig. 3 'iszza sectional :view;, taken along the line 1112-1111 showingjthesbottom :arrangements in a container according-to my invention. 7

a In' theaexemplary embodiment of m invention'; a: metallic container; I i is; provided; preferably inxsubstantially; POOI-tYDE-fCflthOdBvZ2601111105861 of suitablevaporizablez re constructing, material, such a-s-mercury,

mercury; amalgam, or gallium the bottom of the-5container..

One. or more anode shields 3' are provided, preferably in' theform of; substantially tubular 1 arms extending; outwardly from the container l ate-anoint adjacent; or inproximity to, the cathodesuriiaoecithe anode. or anodes-4 being supported in suitable insulating bushings 5 ata pointgadjacenttheouter extremities of the anode shields-. The vapor :blastiarising..from the surface of! th cathode. tends to ;compress.- non-condensiblee. gases int theianode -shields 3, and I have; providedw subs.tantialiyltubularpassages. 6 from the outer extremities of'the anodenshields 3. tu a portion of the. container I,. substantially remote frornuthe cathoderz sothat'any pressure inrtheanode shields i3 -willlbe relieved by passage of:gas intot thev container, I atiapoint remote frointhe cathode 2 ..Breferably,\the relieving passagefi is pconst'ructedpsorthat it slopes from the anode... shields 31. to .tliel vicinity of the containeia :solthathany, cathode vapor, condensed or otherwise; ,makinglitsl iIfito rthe relieving; passage 6" will be returned" d'irect'lyto. the container l 7 insteadof beingpropellediiit'oQ the vicinityof my invention" is to cylindrical :form,; and has asingle container, it

, i is attached by means of a erated sealed off but may be applied to the largest power devices of one or a plurality of anodes.

Where a plurality of anodes are utilized in a is desirable to insulate the cathode dish I from the container l, and where continuous excitation rather than intermittent excitation is utilized such insulation is a practical necessity. Where intermittent operation of the ignitron type is utilized, the insulation'may, of course, be omitted if desired.

In any event, I prefer to provide a plurality of ignitor electrodes 8 and oneor more holding or relieving electrodes 9 preferably mounted '4 a trough 24, preferably adjacent the bottom of the nozzle 25 or orifice and at least at a point above the sealed compartment [5. The condensed material is then returned to the cathode 2 by means of a fall tube 26 extending from the trough 24 in sealed relation to a point inside the sealed compartment l5. Preferably, the fall tube 28 extends relatively near to the bottom of the sealed compartment 16 so that the material sealing the compartment l5 also provides a Vapor -seal for the fall tube 26. By providing the fall tube 2501a shape having an open portion 30 through the bottom of the container I by insulators l0.

It is frequently possible or desirable to place two alternately conducting anodes 4 in the same container I, for this purpose, I have shown two anodes 4 as associated with a single cathode 2. There is an ignitor electrode 8 and a cathode spot-holding electrode 9 or relieving electrode for each of the main anodes 4 so that regardless of the previous history of the device, a cathode spot will be initiated and maintained long enough for the initiation of a main arc to the respective anodes 4.

In order to clear out any vapors or non-condensible gases which might leak into or be produced within the container I, I have provided a compartment I5 having a liquid seal 16 into which the gases are impelled by means to be presently described. While this compartment Iii maybe in any one of several forms, I prefer to provide a relatively L-shaped flange H, the outer edge [8 of which is secured in gas-tight relation to the sides of the container l at a point somewhat above the bottom thereof and which then extends in spaced relation thereto to a point adjacent the bottom and provide suiiicient .mercury in the bottom of the container 1 so that the bottom of the flange I1 is dipping into mercury to provide a liquid seal 16. If only one anode 4 is used, the bottom'of the container may be relatively flat so that the cathode pool 2 and the mercury seal I6 are continuous. However, if a plurality of anodes 4 are used, it is desirable to insulate the cathode pool 2 from the container l proper and, for this reason, I have shown the bottom as being reentrant'to provide a relatively narrow trough or groove 19 extending upwardly along the depending flange l1 and having a depressed central portion to which the cathode dish suitable insulating bushing 20.

The various excitation electrodes 8 and 9 are supported by and electrically connected through insulating bushings l0, preferably attached to the bottom of the container i and in the event of an insulated cathode, preferably outside the insulating member 20.

In order to condense or return the reconstructing cathode material, at least a portion of the container. 1 is provided with cooled condensing surfaces, preferably by applied cooling coils 2i to the exterior of the container I so that the interior surface provides a condensing area.

It is well known that the cathode blast operates as a pumping medium to impel gases and vapors into the portion of the container I adjacent the condensing surfaces.

' The condensed cathode material is collected in exposed to the gases accumulated in the space abovethe pumping jet and having another opening3l for receiving the condensed cathode "material, a springle pump action is secured. The

drops of condensed cathode material entering the open tube 26 at 3| and trapping portions of gas 'between the drops which are impelled by the weight of the condensed material through the fall tube 26 and into the cathode pool 2, or in the event a separate seal is provided, the displaced sealing material will flow into the depression l9 and return to the cathode pool 2.

For purposes of illustration, I have shown and described a specificembodiment of my invention, and it will be apparent that changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

- 1. A vapor-electric device comprising a sealed substantially evacuated container, the bottom of said container being reentrant to provide a channel adjacent the walls of the chamber, a flange secured to the wall or the chamber in gastight relation and extending into said channel, a quantity of mercury in said channel providing a sealed compartment under said flange, a mercury pool cathode covering at least a portion of said bottom, means for collecting mercury above said compartment and a fall tube extending from said mercury collecting means into said compartment.

2. A vapor-electric device comprising a closed container, a pool-type cathode of vaporizable reconstructing material, an anode shield opening in the vicinity of the cathode, an anode in said shield at a point remote from said cathode, a gas passage between said shield and a portion of the container remote from the cathode, and means for producing a flow of gas and vapor into a portion of the container remote from the cathode.

3. A vapor-electric device comprising a closed container, a pool-type cathode of vaporizable reconstructing material, an anode shield opening in the vicinity of the cathode, an anode in said shield at a point remote from said cathode, a gas passage between said shield at a point remote from the cathode and a portion of the container remote from the cathode, means including a condensing surface for producing a flow of gas and vapor into a portion of the container remote from the cathode, and a fall tube utilizing condensed vapor on its return to the cathode to impel non-condensing gases into a restricted portion of the container.

4. A vapor-electric device comprising a sealed chamber, a vaporizable reconstructing cathode in said chamber, an anode cooperating with said cathode, a shield enclosing said anode and open to said cathode, a passage for relieving gas pressure in said shield, a liquid sealed compartment in said chamber, means for condensing the vapor emanating from the cathode and a fall tube utilizing the condensed cathode material for impelling gases from said chamber into said compartment. 5. A vapor-electric device comprisinga substantially evacuated container, a quantity of mercury in the bottom of the container, a flange attached in gastight relation to the side of said container and extending in spaced relation thereto and into the mercury to provide a mercury sealed compartment, mercury collecting means above said compartment and a pump actuated by mercury collected in said mercury collecting means for impelling gas from said container into said compartment.

6. A vapor-electric device comprising a container, a pool of vaporizable cathode material at the lower portion of said container, an anode shield opening in the vicinity of the pool of cathode material, a passage between a portion of the anode shield remote from the pool of cathode material and a portion of the container remote from the cathode pool and a cooled surface for reducing the vapor pressure at the end of the container remote from the cathode pool.

'7. A vapor-electric device comprising a container, a, pool of vaporizable cathode material at the lower portion of said container, a cathode shield opening in the vicinity of the pool of cathode material, a passage between a portion of the anode shield remote from the pool of cathode material and a portion of the container remote from the cathode pool, a trapped space in said container, condensing means for reducing the vapor pressure at the end of the container remote from the cathode pool, and a fall tube for pumping non-condensing gases in said container into said trapped space.

8. A vapor-electric device comprising a sealed chamber, a vaporizable reconstructing cathode in said chamber, an anode shield extending externally of said chamber and opening in proximity to said cathode and a gas passage between said shield and said chamber.

9. A vapor-electric device comprising a sealed chamber, a vaporizable reconstructing cathode in said chamber, an anode shield extending externally of said chamber and opening in proximity to said cathode, a gas passage between said shield and said chamber and a nozzle orifice intermediate the ends of said chamber.

10. A vapor-electric device comprising a sealed chamber, a vaporizable reconstructing cathode in said chamber, an anode shield extending externally of said chamber and opening in proximity to said cathode and a gas passage between said shield and said chamber, a nozzle orifice intermediate the ends of said chamber, a cooled surface for condensing vapors passing through said orifice, a liquid sealed compartment in said chamber and pumping means actuated by the condensate for impelling non-condensing gases from said chamber into said sealed compartment.

11. A vapor-electric device comprising a sealed substantially evacuated container, a mercury cathode in said container, an anode cooperating with said cathode, means for condensing mercury vapor, means for collecting the condensed mercury at a, position above the cathode, a mercury sealed compartment, a fall tube between said mercury collecting means and said sealed compartment so that condensed mercury returns to the cathode through the fall tube and the mercury sealed compartment.

WILLIAM E. PAKALA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,602,910 Kubler Oct. 12, 1926 2,105,463 Cordes Jan. 18, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 224,236 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1925 350,135 Italy Apr. 3, 1937 

